Slackers

Wow. I'm such a slacker. One month since my last post. I'm truly sorry to those who have checked by in the past month unrewarded.

It's been busy. Working, Girl Scouts with Ari, Gymnastics with Ari. Ari was pretty sick there for a week with a nasty case of Strep that had even caused a rash. She happens to be home with tummy troubles today too.

I've gotten lucky the last 2 weeks at work. I haven't had the worst patients on the floor. (by worst, I mean crazy and hostile)

Now this week I did have some heavy patients on the floor but I had students with me. Thank God for students! I don't understand why some nurses don't like students. I love teaching and it's fun to show them the tips I've picked up. And how can you not love having an extra set of hands, especially in nursing?

Recently at shift change I called another CRT on my patient. Physical Therapy had been moving my CVA (Stroke) patient and when they got him back to bed he became unresponsive and started breathing in the style of "Cheyne-Stokes". (It's always when they're moved) Since he was still breathing I called the CRT.

I was very pleased the student I had with him stayed late for the whole process to help me answer questions to the CRT team and the MD. With both of us answering their questions we had him in the ICU within the hour. Not a slacker.

The most frustrating thing about that CRT was that the MD I had been communicating with all day passed the buck off to another MD when he heard his patient was crashing. The new MD (who is one of our own...we all love him) walked in knowing nothing about the patient. The original MD.....Slacker.

I'm not sure why my unit has been slammed with all these heavy patients lately. We used to be the lightest floor in the hospital. The problem is we staff for a "light" load. 5-6 heavy patients on a day shift is not cool. People are quitting.

This summer, when my contract is up, I may be searching for a different position myself.